It has been found, particularly with unisex toilet units, that there is a need for regular cleaning of the toilet, the toilet seat and also of the unit itself. There are a number of European manufacturers who have developed different methods for automatic cleaning of toilet seats.
One solution is to provide a plastics sleeve which pulls out around the toilet seat. Another solution is to slide the toilet seat horizontally out onto the bowl from a recess and recycle this toilet seat with a second toilet seat whilst the first (now used) toilet seat is cleaned within the recess.
Another is to have no toilet seat and to tip the entire toilet bowl back into a cleaning area. Yet another is to locate the toilet seat on gearing that allows the toilet seat to be rotated around the bowl and to pass through a cleaning device at the back of the bowl. This device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,036 Schnyder; Erika entitled Method and Device for the Automatic Cleaning of a Toilet Seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,158 of YU; YI-CHEH describes a device for automatically cleaning toilet seats, with gearing which allows for the toilet seat to be rotated about 360°.
These solutions are complex and expensive to maintain.
A further and important consideration when developing a solution to the problem of automatically cleaning toilet seats, is one of safety and the prevention of possible injuries, in particular of children. Injury is possible especially if any moving parts are driven such as when a seat and door are taken to a down or extended position to be ready for use. A yet further problem with the prior art toilet seat cleaning apparatus, is the lack of vandal resistance and the need to limit possible public access to parts of the unit. Damage to the parts of any public toilet can be a problem especially if someone attempts to force various parts. Also most current toilet seat washing systems make no allowance for disabled people or the infirm or children, in their construction and use.